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About the Renaissance Retreat

Join me for an enchanting seven-day getaway at the Castello di Potentino, a Medieval castle in the heart of Tuscany, to paint from life with the goal of creating an oil portrait in a landscape as exemplified in many Renaissance portraits.

Most of the time with the model will be spent inside the castle’s chapel–transformed for the occasion into our painting studio–while some of the time will be spent sketching the model in the countryside.

If you are enthusiastic about portraiture and landscape as a subject, and are a beginner or advanced painter in pursuit of adventure and community, this is THE workshop for you!

Time not painting is dedicated to special activities enjoyed by all painters and accompanying family/companions: learning to make pasta, learning to make cheese, tasting nationally and internationally-awarded wines, swimming in the glorious outdoor pool, exploring the mysteries of the castle, strolling through the vineyards and gardens and discovering the secrets of the surrounding valley, including the nearby river, the Torrente Vivo.

Video Highlights from the September 2018 Retreat

The Food & Wine – Farm to Table

Castello di Potentino prides itself on growing most of its own produce. Wines are made in the castle’s centuries old cellars, and olive oil pressed from the millennial olive groves in the surrounding valley. Potentino also grows the majority of the fruit and vegetables served at the castle in its own vegetable garden down the valley. They also work with the local shepherds to produce cheese as well as with the local butcher for meat.

Cook with a Michelin Star Chef

Michelin-starred Chef Roberto Rossi of il Silene with take you through an in-depth display of pasta making before cooking you a delicious meal of recipes from Monte Amiata.

Learn to Make Pecorino and Ricotta Cheese

Lorenzo and Francesca of Caseificio Murceti will show you how easy it is to make cheese. They will bring a pail of milk from their sheep milked that morning and show you the different techniques used to make real pecorino and ricotta as well as describing to you the local traditions of cheesemaking and their history in Tuscany.

Discover Wines with the Winemakers

Charlotte Horton and Alexander Greene, owners of Castello di Potentino, will take you on a tour of the castle’s wines. It is a rare opportunity to talk directly with a winemaker about her creations and have the possibility to discuss the wines in-depth and hopefully awaken your pallate and deepen your understanding of the castle itself.

Testimonials

Tim offers a week of learning to paint from a model and en plein air in a Renaissance style. That is the focus of the week, and it is an intense learning experience. I went to sleep at night thinking about what I would do next with my painting, and woke to thumb through photos of paintings by the Italian masters. Tim is a great instructor, and led us through the process of slowly building a painting. We had an excellent, lovely model and a beautiful setting for the backdrop to our developing portraits. Staying at the castle was like finding a little piece of heaven, and the food, wine and conversation were of the highest quality. Our restaurant outings were top notch. It was a week I will never forget.

Karen S. - USASeptember, 2018

The Renaissance Retreat was one of the highlights of my life, especially for two of my passions: painting and food. The castle and the landscape were beautiful. The food and wine plentiful and delicious. Tim provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn and apply renaissance oil painting techniques with inspiring subjects (live, costumed model and beautiful Tuscan landscapes). The opportunity to learn from a Michelin chef and from artisan local cheese-makers added so much to the experience. Thank you Tim!

Vicki N. - USASeptember, 2018

I highly recommend this amazing trip to Potentino, with delicious food, divine wine and inspirational art classes!
Tim is an excellent and passionate art teacher who gently encourages his students to push forward! We received all the art supplies we needed, worked with a beautiful and professional model and painted plein air too! The time I spent at the castle with him and the amazing group of friends I made there, inspired me grew as an artist and also got me motivated to carry on with all of what I’ve learned.
I will never forget this magical experience. Thank you!

Garna K. - BrazilSeptember, 2018

This painting retreat exceeded my expectations. There was an intense focus on painting and Tim was patient and instructive and always willing to answer questions and demonstrate techniques. The castle was the perfect setting … beautiful and inspirational…enhanced by its hostess, Charlotte, who created unbelievable meals with an emphasis on fresh, local products. All meals were shared at large community tables that provided an opportunity for us to meet other guests and a charming group of young volunteers.

Debby F. - USASeptember, 2018

The Rooms

Each room in the castle is unique, as the name of each suggests:

The Baron’s Room – Double ensuite with shower. Also available for use as a single.

The Yellow Room – Double ensuite with bathroom with bathtub and shower. Also available for use as a single.

The Rust Room – Double ensuite with bathroom with bath and shower. Also available for use as a single.

The Visconti Room – Double with ensuite bathroom with bath and shower. Features bed used in Visconti films. Also available for use as a single.

The Princess Room – Double ensuite with bath. Large sitting room, with wood burning stove. Also available for use as a single.

The Green Room – Double. Private Bathroom next door with a free-standing bath with shower. Also available for use as a single.

The Red Room – Large twin/triple with private bathroom next door with separate shower and bath tub.

The Tower Room – Twin/triple ensuite with bath and shower.

You can see pictures of each room below. If there is one you would prefer, please let us know in the registration form and we will do our best to satisfy your request. First come, first serve.

The 8-Day Renaissance Retreat Schedule and Painting Program

We strongly recommend that you arrive in Rome at least the day before the scheduled pick-up and transfer from Rome to Castello di Potentino… and schedule your return flight for at least the day after the transfer from Castello di Potentino to Rome.

What Does it Cost?

The total cost of the Retreat will depend on the number of people will join the Painting Participant.

Cost for 1 Painting Participant in one Single Room: €3,956.80

The above cost includes everything listed in the above program.
The cost does NOT include all the extra-curricular activities like yoga or massage that you might request during the retreat and airfare and/or travel to Rome.

Again, we strongly recommend that you arrive in Rome at least the day before the scheduled pick-up and transfer from Rome to Castello di Potentino… and schedule your return flight for at least the day after the transfer from Castello di Potentino to Rome.

Cost for 1 Painting Participant + 1 Non-Painting Companion: €5,785.30

The above cost includes everything listed in the above program.
The cost does NOT include all the extra-curricular activities like yoga or massage that you might request during the retreat, airfare and/or travel to Rome and the painting sessions for the “Non-Painting Companion”.

Note: the cost of a Non-Painting Companion is less than 50% the cost of a Painting Participant, so bring along a friend or family…we are sure it will be a unique experience for all!

Questions Before You Register?

Please send us any questions you may have using the Questions form below and we’ll be happy to reply as soon as possible.

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Which session interests you?*

2019 - Sunday, May 26th to Sunday, June 2nd

2020 - Sunday, May 24th to Sunday, May 31st

I'd like to organize a Custom Retreat

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Oil Painting: The Portrait in a Landscape – What Can You Expect to Learn?

7 days work on a painting really isn’t that long, especially for a workshop intent on leveraging the full scope of oil painting: an oil sketch, underpainting, glazes, scumbles, etc.. However, there are ways to move things along in order to accommodate such a robust and ambitious endeavor, while also making it possible for you to have a sense of what steps could be taken in the future.

Working from a live model, our primary considerations will be:

Composition – setting the placement and scale of the subject within the landscape

Likeness – what does it mean to achieve a likeness in a portrait and what are the best strategies to do so?

Light – management of light in connection to the specific subjects vs. management of light of the whole (the light pattern).

Glazes and Scumbles – how to use them and how each affects volume, space and atmosphere.

Meet the Painter and Organizer, Timothy Joseph Allen

Tim working on a recent portrait in his studio in Rome.

Greetings! My name is Tim. I’ve been a figurative painter since 1992, I’ve lived in Italy since 1998, I’ve taught at The American University of Rome since 2006, and I have managed and directed my own painting school in Rome–The Painting and Drawing Art Studio of Rome–since 2010.

For the past several years I have looked for the perfect place to conduct a unique and immersive painting workshop for you–the aspiring artist and/or adventurous hobbyist–while also providing you and any traveling companions with an experience that is as bountiful in education and leisure as it is rich in culinary delight.

About Castello di Potentino

“Castello di Potentino is an ancient castle built on an Etruscan site. It lies in a secret valley in one of the last undiscovered corners of Tuscany – Monte Amiata. The medieval building is surrounded by unspoilt countryside, dotted with the vines and the ancient olive trees used for the estate’s small production of high quality wine, grappa and oil.

“Bought and restored in 2000 by the Greene family, today the castle is operating as a dynamic cultural centre. Ideal as an off-season travel venue, it hosts guests, events and weddings all year round.

“Agriculture and viticulture are about growing and living, so eating and drinking well are an important element in the Potentino ethos which is concerned with the sustainability of how we inhabit a place and relate to it physically and mentally.”

— from the Castello di Potentino website

NB: Unfortunately, The Castello di Potentino is NOT equipped to accommodate guests with disabilities or reduced mobility.

A view of the castle from the vineyard.

Meet the People of Castello di Potentino

“The Castle represented a monumental continuation of this archaic relationship between man and his environment. It was a paradigm or archetype of that creative reciprocity and I soon realized it should come back to life as the dynamic cultural hub that it had always been – a PLACE where man, nature and artful intelligence meet and create – a 21st Century Castle.”

Watch a Recent Interview with Charlotte about Life at the Castle

Location

Step 1 of 3

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Step 1: Calculate the Cost of Your Renaissance Retreat

Note: the default calculation shows the cost for one Painting Participant with a Single room. Please modify the form to meet your needs.
If you have a COUPON CODE, the discount will be calculated after we have received your registration information.

Painting Participants

Non-Painting Companions

Single Room

Double Room

Triple Room

Number of Single Rooms

If you require more than 5 single rooms, please mention the total number in the "Message" box on the following page.

Number of Double Rooms

Number of Triple Rooms

Number of Painting Participants?*

How many in the group will take part in the Renaissance Portrait Painting?

Number of Non-Painting Companions?*

How many in the group will not be participating in the painting? Note: Non-Painting Companions DO participate in all other activities: cooking, wine tasting, walking tours, etc.

Total Cost

0,00 €

The total cost includes: transfers from Rome to Potentino and back to Rome, lodging, food, wine and all culinary experiences for EVERYONE + all model fees, materials and supplies for the Painting Participants. Extracurricular activities, indicated with an asterisk (*) in the 8-day schedule, are NOT included in the price.

Step 2: Please Provide Your Contact Info

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Coupon Code?

If you have a COUPON CODE, please add it here; the discount will be calculated after we have received your registration information.

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Please specify how you found us:*

Which session interests you?*

2019 - Sunday, May 26th to Sunday, June 2nd

2020 - Sunday, May 24th to Sunday, May 31st

Custom Retreat

Please write the name of your Group Organizer*

Do you have a room preference?*

Each room in the castle is unique. Please indicate TWO rooms that interest you most. The first to sign up and pay the deposit are given first choice.

The Baron’s Room – Double ensuite with shower. Also available for use as a single.

The Yellow Room – Double ensuite with bathroom with bathtub and shower. Also available for use as a single.

The Rust Room – Double ensuite with bathroom with bath and shower. Also available for use as a single.

The Visconti Room – Double with ensuite bathroom with bath and shower. Features bed used in Visconti films. Also available for use as a single.

The Princess Room – Double ensuite with bath. Large sitting room, with wood burning stove. Also available for use as a single.

The Green Room – Double. Private Bathroom next door with a free-standing bath with shower. Also available for use as a single.

The Red Room – Large twin/triple with private bathroom next door with separate shower and bath tub.

The Tower Room – Twin/triple ensuite with bath and shower.

Would you or anyone in your group be interested in having available a masseuse, classes in yoga, or some other extracurricular activity? Please note: all extracurricular activities can be provided for an additional cost.*

Yes

No

Please check your interests. You can select more than one.*

Yoga

Masseuse

Other

Please specify your request. If it is possible, we will do our best to provide the service.*

Do you or anyone in your group have any special dietary and/or medical needs?*

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No

NB: Unfortunately, The Castello di Potentino is NOT equipped to accommodate guests with disabilities or reduced mobility.

Please indicate those needs:*

Please give us a brief introduction to yourself and/or your group. Also, is there anything special you would like us to know about you and/or your group?*

Terms and Conditions*

Terms and Conditions
“Renaissance Retreat”

CONTRACTING PARTIES
These Terms and Conditions are legally binding between the Painting Participant(s) and the Non-Painting Companion(s) herein after referred to as Travelers, and Timothy Joseph Allen, herein after referred to as TJA, organizer of the “Renaissance Retreat”, also referred to as Retreat.

ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS
Please note: the submission of this registration form constitutes an acceptance of these Terms and Conditions which take effect immediately.

ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation room type(s) and specification are as shown on the website.

MEALS
Meals will vary. Travelers may request special dietary needs only if these needs are indicated in writing at the time of registration.

TRANSFERS
Transfers from Rome to the Castello di Potentino and back to Rome are provided as specified in the program and will leave on time. Travelers are strongly encouraged to arrive at least one day earlier in Rome in order to help ensure a timely departure from Rome to Potentino. Should any Travelers miss the transfer from Rome to Potentino, it is their responsibility to get to Potentino. The same is true of the transfer from Potentino back to Rome.

SCHEDULE
Every effort will be made to maintain the schedule as indicated, but alterations may occur. TJA reserves the right to alter the schedule as he deems necessary or desirable and will pass on to Travelers any expenditures or losses caused by delays or events beyond his control.

In case of any appreciable variation in the price of the Retreat, TJA reserves the right to make adjustments to the costs as necessary.

SPECIAL REQUESTS
Specific requests must be indicated at the time of registration. Please note that every effort will be made to satisfy special requests, however, they cannot be guaranteed.

TRANSPORTATION
Transportation will be as specified in the schedule.

BAGGAGE
Baggage and personal effects are the owner’s risk throughout the Retreat and TJA assumes no liability for lost or damaged baggage. Baggage insurance is strongly advised.
Weight restrictions for baggage on domestic/international flights may apply. Please check with your international carrier for any baggage restrictions applicable.

TAXES AND GRATUITIES
Hotel taxes as imposed by the city and state governments are included. Gratuities for guides, drivers, porters and staff are not included and are at the sole discretion of the Travelers.

PRICES
The Retreat price includes planning, scheduled transfers, food, accommodations, culinary workshops, wine tasting, plus all materials and model fees for those participating in the painting workshop. The price is quoted in Euros. The price is subject to revision in the event there is any significant changes in foreign currency.

EXCLUSIONS
The cost of airline tickets, obtaining passports, visas, excess baggage charges and any other items of a personal nature is not included in the price of the Retreat.

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOS
TJA reserves the right to take photographs during the operation of the Retreat and to use them for promotional purposes. By registering for the Retreat, Travelers agree to allow their images to be used in such photographs. Travelers who prefer that their images not to be used are asked to identify themselves by sending an email to tim@artstudiorome.com at least 15 days before the beginning of the Retreat and they will be exempted from this photography waiver clause.

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT
A non-refundable deposit of 30% of the total cost per Traveler is required to finalize the registration and secure the reservation. The remainder of the Retreat cost is due 75 days prior to departure. If the reservation is made within 75 days of departure, the entire Retreat price must be paid at the time of registration.

PAYMENT METHOD
Payments may be made by a bank transfer (payment via credit card is not yet available).
For bank transfers, account details will be provided with the Request for Payment.
Travelers are asked to confirm bank transfer payments by email at tim@artstudiorome.com the date on which payment is made.

CANCELLATION BY TRAVELERS
All cancellations must be received in writing.
16.1. Cancellations received between the date of booking and 61 days prior to departure will result in the loss of the deposit.
16.1.1. Cancellations received 60 - 46 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 25% of the Retreat price.
16.1.2. Cancellations received 45 - 29 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 50% of the Retreat price.
16.1.3. Cancellations received 28 - 15 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 75% of the Retreat price.
16.1.4. Cancellations received 14 days or less prior to departure will be subject to a forfeiture of the entire Retreat price.
16.2. Cancellation of airline tickets will be subject to the refund policy of each individual airline.
16.3. TJA reserves the right to charge for financial penalties, fees and losses incurred as a result of cancellation.

CANCELLATION BY ORGANIZER
TJA reserves the right in any circumstances to cancel the Retreat. For example, if the minimum number of people required for the Retreat is not reached, TJA reserves the right to cancel the tour up to 30 days in advance. In this case, TJA will provide a full refund of any amount paid by the Travelers to TJA.

CLAIMS AND REFUNDS
Refunds are not made for any missed services, except for verifiable extenuating circumstances. For verifiable claims to be considered, they must be received in writing within 30 days of the termination of the program. Any adjustment considered will be based on the actual price of the services involved and not on a per diem basis. Adjustments will not be made for unused activities or meals. TJA will not accept any liability for any claims that are not received within 30 days of the termination of the program.

SPECIAL REQUESTS
If you have any special requests relating to diet, accommodations and so forth, these must be made known at the time of registration. We will do our best to comply with them but cannot guarantee to do so

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITED MOBILITY
20.1 Travelers with pre-existing conditions including but not limited to: illness, diabetes, pregnancy, asthma, gastric reflux, cancer, heart problems, epilepsy, respiratory problems should visit a doctor for a personal medical examination and obtain a medical clearance that certifies him or her as fully able to participate in the Retreat as described on the website.
20.2 Travelers are responsible for assessing whether this Retreat is suitable for him or her.
20.3 TJA does not provide medical advice. It is the Travelers responsibility to assess the risks and requirements of each aspect of the Retreat based on his or her own unique circumstances, limitations, fitness level and medical requirements.
20.4 The Castello di Potentino is not equipped to accommodate guests with disabilities or reduced mobility.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS
Passport holders are responsible for obtaining the required documentation applicable for entry Italy. Please note that passports must be valid for six (6) months before departure and should also have sufficient blank pages for visas and immigration stamps.
TJA cannot be held responsible should you be denied entry to Italy due to non-compliance of these requirements.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
TJA strongly recommends all travelers take out comprehensive travel insurance prior to date of travel. The insurance should cover cancellation and curtailment, all medical expenses including evacuation/repatriation, personal baggage, personal liability, death and permanent disability and travel document insurance. TJA cannot be held responsible for any costs arising from such loss or injury.

ARBITRATION AGREEMENT
Any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions, to the website, to the brochure, to any information relating in any way to the Retreat, to the Retreat itself or to any products or services related to the Retreat, shall be settled in the first instance by binding arbitration in the applicable legal forum as detailed in the clause 24 of these Terms and Conditions. In lieu of a personal appearance at arbitration, the arbitration may be conducted by telephonic means. Arbitration is the exclusive forum in the first instance for dispute resolution and each party shall bear its own costs and expenses and an equal share of the arbitration and administrative fees.

APPLICABLE LAW AND FORUM
This agreement shall be construed, interpreted and enforced in accordance with, and shall be governed by the laws of Italy. It is agreed between TJA and the Travelers that all lawsuits against TJA arising under, in connection with, or incidental to the Retreat shall be fixed, if at all, in the courts of Italy to the exclusion of the courts of or in any other country or jurisdiction.

25. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The Travelers acknowledge and accept the above terms and conditions applying with respect to the Retreat and acknowledges having read and understood them and the Travelers understand that no other agreement or disclaimer, verbal or otherwise, applies as this contract together with the registration form contains the entire contract between the Travelers and TJA.

I have reviewed and agree to the Terms and Conditions

Step 3: Confirmation

Please check the information below. Once we have received and reviewed your information, we will contact you with a payment request. The registration is final once we have received payment of the deposit.

Contact Information

Email: {Email:25}

Phone: {Phone:26}

City: {Address (City):34.3}

Country: {Address (Country):34.6}

Dietary and or Medical Needs?

{Special dietary and/or medical needs?:31}

Dietary/Medical Details: {Please indicate those needs::30}

About You and/or Your Group

{Please give me a brief introduction to yourself and/or your group. Also, is there anything special you would like us to know about you and/or your group? Do you have any questions before you sign up?:27}

Terms and Conditions: {Terms and Conditions (I have reviewed and agree to the Terms and Conditions):29.1}

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